Terminating device for linear bodies



Nov. 28, 1967 s. G. SHANNON TERMINATING DEVICE FOR LINEAR BODIES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 INVENTOR. Sou. GRANT Suzanna M 77W PWNov. 28, 1967 s. G. SHANNON TERMINATING DEVICE FOR LINEAR BODIES ZSheetS-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.

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INVENTOR. Sun. GRANT Summon M, MW-H4 '4- W United States Patent ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE The invention constitutes a terminating means forlinear bodies such as fibrous glass cable. The device comprises aterminal lug member having a U-shaped body with a coil spring membersecured therein. One end of the coil spring member extends beyond theterminal body.

A sleeve of suitable plastic is heat-shrunk onto the terminal tocomplete the assembly. Epoxy resin is used in the terminal body to binda linear body to the device.

This invention genera-11y relates to terminating devices for linearbodies such as guy wires, and particularly relates to means foranchoring cables to support structures.

Fibrous glass cable is being used in industry to anchor marine buoys andto connect mechanical parts in general. This cable is flexible, light inweight, and has the longitudinal tension characteristics of steel. Thecable comprises many fibrous glass strands in longitudinal orientation.The fibers are subsequently impregnated with epoxy resin. Thisarrangement contains the fibers and provides a rigid outer cover for thecable. One major problem in using this type of cable is that it cannotbe terminated by conventional compression devices because of its basicfibrous glass makeup. Compression forces onto this cable fracture theepoxy resin and glass and weaken the cable causing tensile failure.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provideterminating means for linear bodies such as fibrous glass cable.

Another object is to provide a terminating device which may be used withother linear bodies such as steel cables or rods.

Another object is to provide binding means in a linear body terminationwhereby a terminating device is held in binding engagement with thelinear body by molecular adhesion.

Another object is that of providing a terminating device as describedabove which is constructed of several basic parts, a simple alterationofwhich results in an. in-line splice means for joining two like bodies.

A further object is the provision of a terminating device which has along useful life, is simple and economical in construction, and may beeasily assembled, but which is sufficiently rugged to withstand evencareless use.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent when thedescription is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIGURES l and 2 are respectively face and side views of a terminatingappliance in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through thelines 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a side view of splice appliance in accordance with thisinvention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, the terminating device includes aterminal l-ug member 2 Which is formed from a flat stamping of suitablemetal such as steel, a coil spring 4, and an outer plastic sleeve 6.Sleeve 6 is preferably formed from a length of transparent ortranslucent plastic of the type comprising fluorocarbon resins, e.g.,Teflon, but may also be formed from other plastics such aspolyvinylchloride. Sleeve 6 is expanded radially ICC so that it can beultimately shrunk onto spring 4 and lug member 2 after the device isassembled. Sleeve 6 holds the spring 4 in place on body 10 and confinesa binding agent E, epoxy resin, during the terminating procedure.

Lug member 2 has a tongue 8 on one end thereof for engagement with asupport structure, and a generally U-shaped body 10 coextensive withtongue 8 for engagement with a cable C. Body 10 has a series ofequidistantly spaced diagonal slots 12 thereacross adapted to receiveportions of the helically wound coils 4' of spring 4. Slots 12 havesidewalls 14 which extend convergently from the floor 16, FIGURE 3.

The spring 4 fits into the body 10 with the individual coils of thespring fitting into the slots 12. The spring provides a plurality ofirregular surfaces to which the binding agent E binds itself.

The smallest area across slots 12 is greater than the cross sectionalarea of the coils 4' of spring 4. This arrangement provides suitablespaces between slots 12. and coils 4' wherein a binding agent such asepoxy resin E will flow during the terminating procedure.

The device is assembled by placing spring 4 in slots 12 of U-shaped body10. Spring 4 overhangs the body 10 and provides means to relieve unduebending stresses on cable C where it joins the device. Sleeve 6 in itsexpanded state is placed around body 10 and spring 4. Sleeve 6 overhangsspring 4 to aid in the above strain relief means. Sleeve 6 is thenshrunk onto the appliance by heat to constitute an assembled terminatingdevice. During the above heating operation, sleeve 6 shrinkssufliciently to snugly grip the coils 4 of spring 4 and body 10 of thedevice. The forward end 7 of sleeve 6 shrinks tightly onto tongue 8 toclose the forward end of the appliance. This prevents the liquid bindingagent E from flowing from the forward end of the appliance, to bedescribed hereinafter.

Operation A pre-determined amount of liquid epoxy resin E whichcomprises a suitable mixture of liquid resin, liquid catalyst and fillermaterial, e.g., glass flake is injected into the device from the openend 18 of sleeve 6. The glass flake filler material increases thestrength of epoxy resin after it hardens to a solid state. One end ofcable C is then insented into the appliance through open end 18. Duringthis insertion, cable C pushes the liquid epoxy resin by piston actioninto slots 12 and around coils 4, FIGURE 3. The epoxy resin is alsoforced back along cable C to fill the sleeve 6. Closed end 7 of sleeve 6contains the epoxy and prevents it from flowing from the forward end ofthe appliance during the above insertion.

During a suitable hardening period which is determined by the catalystagent, the epoxy resin E binds itself by molecular adhesion to cable C,spring 4 and sleeve 6, and changes to a hardened state.

Withdrawal forces on cable C are resisted by a combination of bonds. Onebond is between the surface of the cable and the hardened epoxy resin E.The other bond is between the epoxy resin mass E and the spring 4 andbody 10. Keystone shaped slots 12 with divergent Walls 14 and spring 4provide many irregular surfaces to which the epoxy resin mass E bondsitself. Divergent walls 14 provide an additional locking means to holdthe epoxy resin mass E into engagement with body 10. This arrangementadds to the tensile characteristics of the termination.

The transparency of sleeve 6 allows the operator to inspect the devicefor proper cable positioning during the terminating operation. It alsoallows him to inspect for proper epoxy resin displacement during andafter the terminating operation. The result is a terminating devicesecured to a fibrous glass cable by molecular adhesion. No compressionforces are exerted onto the cable 3 or the device, therefore no dangerof accidental cable fracture exists. Undue bending stresses on the cableare relieved where it joins the device by virtue of the overhangingspring 4 and sleeve 6.

The above-described device, however, can easily be adapted so as to be asplice appliance for joining two linear bodies, FIGURE 4. This isaccomplished by using the same assembled device without a tongue member8. Both ends of a splice appliance will be identical to the open end ofthe embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The terminating procedure willdiffer in that one cable will be joined to the appliance and the bindingagent E allowed to harden before the other cable is joined to the otherend of the appliance.

It will therefore be understood that the terminating device of thepresent invention may be used equally well with steel cable, rope orsolid state linear bodies such as steel rod. It will also be understoodthat more than one linear body may be joined to a terminating applianceof the type shown and described herein.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and otherdesirable objects have been achieved; however it should be emphasizedthat the particular embodiment of the invention, which is shown anddescribed herein, is intended as merely illustrative and not asrestrictive of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device for terminating fibrous glass cable to a structure, saiddevice having a tubular section including sleeve means on one endthereof for receiving said cable, binding means comprising, epoxy resinin said tubular section for binding said device to said cable, springmeans in said tubular section adapted to provide irregular grippingsurfaces between said bond, and tongue means on the other end of saiddevice for fastening said device to said structure.

2. A terminating device for fibrous glass cable comprising thecombination of a lug member having a tongue on one end thereof and aU-shaped body with diagonal slots on the other end thereof, a helicallywound coil spring member adapted so that its coils are disposed in saidslots, sleeve means surrounding said body and said spring member, saidsleeve means adapted to hold said spring member in axial position insaid body, binding means in said body to secure said cable to saiddevce.

3. A terminating device for fibrous glass cable comprising thecombination of a lug member having a tongue on one end thereof forsecuring said device to a structure and a U-shaped body with diagonalslots on the other end thereof, a helically wound coil spring memberdisposed in said slots, said spring member adapted to overhang the endof said body to provide strain relief means for the cable where saidcable leaves said body, said spring member providing irregular innersurfaces in said body, shrinkable plastic sleeve means around said 4body and said spring member adapted to be shrunk onto said device tohold said spring member in axial position on said body, binding means insaid body adapted to adhere said cable and said device together.

4. A terminating device for fibrous glass cable comprising thecombination of a lug memberhaving tongue on one end thereof and aU-shaped body with diagonal slots on the other end thereof, a helicallywound spring member disposed in said slots and adapted to overhang theend of said body, said spring providing irregular inner surfaces in saidbody, shrinkable plastic sleeve means shrunk around said body andadapted to hold said spring in coaxial relationship therewith, bindingmeans comprising a suitable mixture of liquid epoxy resin disposed insaid body prior to cable insertion for adhering said cable to saiddevice after cable insertion.

5. A terminating device according to claim 4 wherein said diagonal slotshave sidewalls extending convergently from the floor thereof.

6. A terminating device according to claim 4 wherein said epoxy resinfuses to the outer cover of said cable.

7. A connector device for joining two fibrous glass cables comprisingthe combination of a lug member having a generally U-shaped body withdiagonal slots therein, a helically wound spring member disposed in saidslots and adapted to overhang the ends of said body to provide strainrelief means where said cables join said connector, sleeve means aroundsaid body adapted to hold said spring in coaxial relationship with saidbody, binding means comprising a suitable mixture of liquid epoxy resindisposed in said body prior to cable insertion for adhering said cablesto said connector after cable insertion.

8. A connection between a terminating device and a fibrous glass cablecomprising a terminal lug member including a U-shaped body with a seriesof diagonal slots therein and a coil spring member disposed in saidslots, one end of said cable disposed in said body, binding meanscomprising epoxy resin in said body, said slots and around said springmember and said cable whereby said device and said cable are adhered toeach other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,320,543 6/ 1943 Doughty 287783,015,512 1/1962 Oakes 28780 3,018,140 1/1962 Portz et al 2871 193,192,622 7/1965 Bannerman 287-78 3,243,211 3/ 1966 Wetmore 287-783,245,128 4/1966 Lyles 287--83 3,269,743 8/1966 Barreca 2871 19 CARL W.TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

W. L. SHEDD, Assistant Examiner,

7. A CONNECTOR DEVICE FOR JOINING TWO FIBROUS GLASS CABLES COMPRISINGTHE COMBINATION OF A LUG MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY U-SHAPED BODY WITHDIAGONAL SLOTS THEREIN, A HELICALLY WOUND SPRING MEMBER DISPOSED IN SAIDSLOTS AND ADAPTED TO OVERHANG THE ENDS OF SAID BODY TO PROVIDE STRAINRELIEF MEANS WHERE SAID CABLES JOIN SAID CONNECTOR, SLEEVE MEANS AROUNDSAID BODY ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID SPRING